Boston Bruins newest prospect Torey Krug hopes for chance to get into NHL game soon

Torey Krug skated with the Bruins on Tuesday, a couple of days after leaving Michigan State University to sign a 3-year contract. The 20-year-old defenseman thinks joining the Bruins now will help him when he starts his full-time pro career next season.

“A couple of days ago I was getting ready to study for tests,” Krug said yesterday, after joining the Bruins for their morning skate at TD Garden. “Now, here I am, sitting in a locker room full of NHLers.” The coveted offensive defenseman, who turns 21 next month, had just concluded a highly-decorated junior season at Michigan State University last weekend when he decided to turn pro and accept the Bruins three-year, entry-level offer. He’ll only receive about two weeks worth of his 2011-12 NHL salary of $900,000, but he’ll get a crash course in NHL hockey through the end of the regular season, at least.

“I feel like it could jump-start me into next year, coming into camp,” said Krug, whose deal expires at the end of 2013-14 and carries a salary cap figure of roughly $1.7 million per season, including bonuses.

“That’s my goal – get my feet wet, learn a little bit, learn the system, and get used to the guys in the locker room. I hope that can help me.”

Krug is eligible to play for the Bruins over the final six games of the season, but can’t participate in the NHL playoffs because he signed after the trade deadline.

Although only 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 180 pounds, Krug thinks he’s ready for NHL competition, and hopes to see some before the regular season ends on April 7.

“I feel like that,” he said. “Obviously, the coaches will make that decision, but I’m here, and my No. 1 goal is just to compete and work 100 percent of the time.”

The chances of the CCHA Player of the Year and Hobey Baker Award finalist getting into an NHL game hinge largely on the Bruins’ playoff positioning, but when he does get into the lineup, Krug says fans will see a dynamic skater who can definitely play both sides of the puck.

“A lot of guys see me as a small defenseman and think, ‘Oh, he’s just an offensive defenseman,’ but I like to take care of the (defensive) zone. I take a lot of pride in making that first pass out of the zone.”

Coach Claude Julien, who suddenly has nine healthy defensemen at his disposal, said Krug (pronounced KROOG) “came into our (penalty-killing) meetings, (power play) meetings, got an opportunity to skate with the team and see how things are done here.

“Certainly not going to tell you right now that he’s not going to play – it depends on how everything goes. But the one thing he gets to do is experience the level of competition here at the NHL.”

AROUND THE BOARDS

Krug, who wore No. 44 at Michigan (Dennis Seidenberg wears it in Boston), was given No. 47 worn most recently by Steven Kampfer, a product of Krug’s arch-rivals at Michigan.

Page 2 of 2 - “Well, I have it now,” Krug smiled. “I like to think a little bit about Bobby Orr (No. 4 and Ray Bourque (Nos. 7 and 77), a little bit of a mix of the two.”

Daniel Paille, scratched when Rich Peverley returned on Sunday at Anaheim from a knee injury, sat out for the second straight game.

Defensemen Joe Corvo (6 games in a row) and Mike Mottau (9) were also scratched. In addition to their first 3-game win streak since they went 7-0-0 through Dec. 28, the Bruins have now won three straight at home. It’s their best such streak since a 3-0-1 run between Jan. 10-31.

ON THEIR PLATE

Earlier Tuesday, the Bruins held a press conference to unveil an updated version of their “Invest In Youth Hockey” license plates, sales of which benefit the Mass. Hockey Association. In attendance was Duxbury native Kevin Kavanagh, the recently appointed Executive Director of Mass. Hockey.

Proceeds from the plates have raised close to $1 million to date; fans interested in winning the first of the new ones can visit www.bruinsraffles.org for information.